Taliban Deputy PM Urges Afghan Traders To Shift Away From Pak, Seek Alternative Routes

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said both countries are China’s close neighbours and that Beijing “will continue to play a constructive role” in fostering dialogue and cooperation between them.

Responding to a question about China’s involvement in peace efforts between Pakistan and the Taliban, Guo said Beijing backs the strengthening of bilateral ties between the two sides.

He also condemned the recent suicide bombing in Islamabad, saying China “will continue to support Pakistan in combating terrorism, maintaining social stability and ensuring security.”

China has built increasingly close ties with the Taliban over the past four years and has handed control of the Afghan embassy in Beijing to the group’s representatives. At the same time, China remains one of Pakistan’s key strategic partners.

Earlier, as tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan rose, Beijing said it would continue to “play a constructive role in improving and developing relations” between the two neighbours.

Rahmatullah Najib, head of the Taliban’s negotiation team and deputy interior minister in the Taliban administration, said the delegation responded that Akhundzada “does not issue fatwas.” He added that Pakistan should formally submit its request to the Taliban’s Dar al-Ifta,the group’s religious authority, and should not expect a ruling “tailored to its wishes.”

Najib said one of the main topics discussed during the second round of the Istanbul talks was the question of “control,” under which both sides were expected to restrain groups considered “malicious.” He said Pakistan’s proposal required the Taliban to issue a fatwa declaring that the war against the Pakistani government was “illegitimate.”

“The Afghan Taliban cannot declare the war in Pakistan either legitimate or illegitimate,” Najib said, adding that the conflict “does not belong to the Taliban.”

He said Pakistan’s delegation had insisted that Akhundzada personally issue the fatwa to help end the fighting, but the Taliban negotiators clarified that their supreme leader “issues orders and decrees, not fatwas.”

According to Najib, the Taliban delegation urged Pakistan to direct any formal request for a fatwa to the Dar al-Ifta, but warned that such rulings “are issued according to Sharia principles, not political preferences.”

Najib said the Taliban delegation presented two “clear and achievable” demands during the talks: the elimination of Islamic State (ISIS) bases and the arrest of its leaders in Pakistan, and an end to Pakistani military flights violating Afghan airspace.

He described the Taliban’s demands as “simple and practical,” blaming the failure of the five-day talks on what he called Pakistan’s “unrealistic expectations.”

The second round of discussions in Istanbul began as Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif announced that Islamabad was seeking Taliban cooperation to curb Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) activity. According to reports, Pakistan asked the Afghan Taliban to designate the TTP as a terrorist organisation and expel its members from Afghanistan.

The Taliban deny harbouring foreign fighters and have so far refused to label the TTP a terrorist group.

In a statement posted on X, the US Embassy in Islamabad condemned Tuesday’s attack near the city’s judicial complex and reaffirmed Washington’s support for Pakistan’s efforts to promote peace and stability.

The blast occurred on Tuesday, 11 November, near the Islamabad Judicial Complex in the G-11 area. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a splinter faction of Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was carried out inside the judicial compound.

The TTP later issued a separate statement denying any involvement and distancing itself from the bombing.

Pakistan’s Defence Minister Khawaja Asif called the attack a serious warning for the country, saying the Taliban had “brought the war inside Pakistan’s borders.” He added that believing negotiations with the group could succeed was “a mistake.”

The delegation travelled to the northern Afghan province at the Taliban’s invitation. The visit follows an earlier trip by Yousuf Wafa, the Taliban governor of Balkh and a close aide to the group’s supreme leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, who visited Dushanbe at Tajikistan’s invitation.

According to Taliban state media, Fayzollahzoda, the deputy governor of Tajikistan’s Khatlon region, met with Mohammad Khan, the Taliban governor of Kunduz. Intelligence, security, trade and economic officials from both sides also attended the meeting.

In addition to security and economic issues, the two sides discussed visa arrangements and consular services for traders from both countries.

Tajikistan has been the only Central Asian state that maintains limited diplomatic engagement with the Taliban. However, after nearly four years, ties between Dushanbe and the Taliban administration appear to be gradually thawing.

Dushanbe maintains close ties with Afghan armed opposition groups but has recently sought to establish limited contact with the Taliban as well.

No high-ranking officials from either Tajikistan or Taliban-controlled Afghanistan have yet made official visits to each other’s countries. However, sources told Afghanistan International that Tajikistan’s intelligence chief made a secret visit to Afghanistan.

The reported visit by Saimumin Yatimov, Tajikistan’s national security chief, indicates that security concerns particularly over the presence of Tajik militant group Ansarullah in Afghanistan remain a key priority for President Emomali Rahmon’s government.

Earlier, the Taliban governor of Balkh visited Tajikistan and called for the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He also urged greater cooperation to counter security threats, saying instability in Afghanistan would harm all neighbouring states.

Asif accused the Afghan Taliban of harbouring militants responsible for attacks in Pakistan and rejected their condemnation of the bombing as “insincere and meaningless.”

He stressed that Pakistan will not leave what he called aggression unanswered. Asif told Geo News after the attack, which occurred in the parking area of the G-11 district court in the capital, that a firm and decisive response will follow.

Pakistani authorities quickly blamed Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), India, and the Afghan Taliban for the assault. The Afghan Taliban’s Foreign Ministry condemned the attack, but Asif said the statement “does not reflect reality,” claiming the group continues to shelter militants targeting Pakistan.

The defence minister said Islamabad would present evidence of Afghanistan’s involvement in recent incidents to mediators including Qatar and Turkiye.

Asif also alleged that India was carrying out attacks on Pakistan “through Afghan territory,” an accusation the Indian Ministry of External Affairs rejected as baseless. He added that there were no terrorist sanctuaries inside Pakistan and claimed most recent attacks were carried out by Afghan nationals.

He further accused the Afghan Taliban of adopting a “hostile stance” toward Pakistan and said Islamabad had lost confidence in their assurances.

Asif also claimed that terrorists were receiving financial support from Indian consulates in Afghanistan, though he provided no evidence. He said Pakistan would use “all diplomatic options” to manage the situation with Kabul.

The Islamabad bombing came shortly after peace talks between Pakistani and Taliban officials in Istanbul collapsed. Pakistan had reportedly sought written guarantees from the Taliban to stop cross-border militant attacks.

Taliban Foreign Ministry said the Pakistani delegation had asked for Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan fighters to be relocated inside Afghanistan a request it rejected, saying, “We are not foolish enough to take on Pakistan’s burden.”